Is the return of the Roxy imminent? According to concerns citizens in the nearby neighborhood, the answer is a resounding yes. Originally a warehouse converted into a roller rink, the Roxy converted itself into a full on nightclub in the mid 1980's, and became a focal point for the beginnings of hip hop in NYC. The Roxy powered into the 90's, hosting John Blair's famously gay Roxy Saturdays, but eventually closed for good in 2007 after the building was sold to residential developers. With development plans stalled, the Roxy attempted a 2008 comeback which was derailed. Now the Roxy is ready to try again, but Chelsea residents are already signaling they will fight this license application to the bitter end. Local business owners are emailing their customers and neighbors to warn them about next month's CB4 licensing hearing, talking up how the neighborhood has changed for the better and the Roxy no longer fits in. This should be a fun one.

Reader Comments (16)

Never gonna happen. Gene is a lunatic with ohhhh 900K in back taxes owed- and the landlord is not a fan- Plus- Gene- who the hell is gonna give you insurance with your record- and mixing alcohol with people on skates.... Did you not learn your lesson when they came and removed you from Eugene's and locked you out. Plus- If the place ever does re-open, where are you going to live?

Eugene's, aka The Madison, aka Gyspy Tea, aka H2O, was a bankrupt SHITSHOW at the end. If anyone thinks a new Dinino venue will save us from the current bad club scene in the city, think again. Unless, of course, you enjoy the gunfire, broken-bottle fights and molestation that arise when security sucks, the adulterated drinks and thievery that arise when you don't pay your staff, and the kind of crowd trucked in by the most desperate of B&T promoters. Think "stretch hummer limo" and "escalade tailgate party," not "young fabulous things." What made the Roxy cool were the times and the kinds of people who partied in the old wastelands of west chelsea, not the venue. The times and the clubgoers, they have a-changed. A new Roxy will be no better than how the old Roxy was at the end: LAME.

hey stua... i think if neal had gotten the place open there would have been viable "straight' roller skating nights.to supplement everything else.it seems they were going to market it to the model scenester crowd. i think fridays it would have been big djs. a cleaned up room might have attracted a better crowd than the end of the roxy featured. gene was not going to be the operator under the new investment group. there was a bunch of money being spread around to take care of lingering obligations. it sounded like fun and a great corporate attraction. the space has no columns and high ceilings. it needs a good clean up. it's easy to be critical of gene but he did manage to keep the place open for almost 15 years. in his day he was an operator who spent money to make money. he lived modestly putting a great deal of his money back in the business . the eugene/gypsy tea space had a run as well. i think he lost too much money trying to get that space on 28th street open . joy , i think was the name of the place and he put himself in a poor cash flow situation as the economy failed. i'm friends with both groups and wish an agreemennt could have happened

And we need another club in this city because? Honestly, this will open and be "cool" for 3 months TOPS, with all the gays and trannies running it. Then its old news and back to bro's and bridge and tunnel. Fuck all of you. bye.

i love that "it seems they were going to market it to the model scenester crowd." what an original idea! no other club owner is doing that right now! the best way to fail in NYC nightlife is to assume that the "model scenester crowd" will grace your establishment for more than 3 months. the backup plan always is "market it to the 'whoever we can get to show up' crowd, so we can pay the rent." and that's why most clubs in manhattan SUCK.